„FREE NELSON MANDELA“
„FREE NELSON MANDELA“
Austrian solidarity with South Africa at the time of apartheid - and today?
The book “Free Nelson Mandela”, published just a few months ago, describes the history of the anti-apartheid movement in Austria from the perspective of the people actively involved: their often very personal confrontation with racist propaganda, political and economic networks and colonialist stereotypes. Their advocacy for the release of all political prisoners of apartheid, the strict implementation of the UN arms embargo, a boycott of South African products and sanctions against the internationally isolated regime was a major driving force behind Austrian solidarity with the democratic resistance in South Africa. At the same time, they demanded coherence from the government between its verbal condemnation of the racist system in South Africa at the time and its foreign and economic policy practice.
What has remained of the spirit of international solidarity in Austria - and beyond - today? And in view of the attacks by the USA against the achievements of the Mandela era: Is a new solidarity with South Africa needed?
Walter Sauer, historian at the University of Vienna, 1988-1993 Chairman of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in Austria and since then of its successor organisation, the Southern African Documentation and Cooperation Centre (SADOCC).
Ferdinand Lacina, former Federal Minister.
Lucile Dreidémy, Professor of Austrian Contemporary History since 1918 in an International Context at the University of Vienna and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Bruno Kreisky Forum.
Rapulane molecules, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to Austria, the Slovak Republic and the Republic of Slovenia and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the international organisations in Vienna
Welcome and moderation:
Georg Lennkh, Member of the BKF Board, Austrian Special Representative for Africa from 2005 to 2011.
Bernhard Bouzek (ed.):
Free Nelson Mandela! History of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in Austria (Vienna 2024)
The event will be held in English.
IN CO-OPERATION WITH SADOCC - Documentation and Cooperation Centre Southern Africa
